According to a study done by Delta Airlines, there are 4 things that people consistently want to know about the people that serve them in business.
Even for us in “heart-centered” entrepreneurs, this list may be surprising. Here they are:
- Do you like me?
That’s right. Everyone has an inner Sally Fields that they regularly channel. Your clients want to know that they are sincerely liked by you and your team. People are well trained to detect false empathy and faked warmth.
- Do you care about me?
Akin to #1, this goes deeper. Clients can easily tell how much you care by the questions you ask, the details about them you remember, and the care with which you speak to them. They also want to know why you care. Why do you want to serve them? Who are you for your clients and who are they for you?
- Can I trust you?
Trust is hard won and easily lost. The first layer of trust in business can be boiled down to this: Do what you say you are going to do, how you said you would do it, and when you said you would do it. But with the taxing schedule that running your own business can entail, it’s easy to slip up on this one. Lack of follow up or slow response time has killed more than one small business.
- Do you know what you are talking about?
I listed this last on purpose because it’s the thing that most service-based entrepreneurs lean heavily in trying to connect with their audience. But as someone once said, “They don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” Cute but true.
Your credibility and trust factor is actually a 2-part equation.
Here’s How I Can Help You + Here’s Why I Care.
The good news is that as a small (sometimes solo!) business, it’s not hard to communicate your caring. On the other hand, I own a Toyota, but I’m not convinced they really care about me.
